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@df123
Hello everyone following this thread.
This is Dani from F0ffa bikes and I just wanted to answer some of the comments that have been said.
Firstly let me say that I am flattered that my passion for bikes has generated so much discussion on this forum, even if some negative things have been said. It means that I can find out what I need to do to improve even more to make the next customers happy. Ideally I would appreciate people coming to me directly rather than slagging it out behind made up names on a forum. But what can you do other than offering direct access to me at my new shop when you get a chance to swing on by.
So to address some of the issues being raised:
Yes, I am the guy behind singlespeed.angelfire.com and yes, we had a few teething problems with our first bikes, have listened to people's feedback & have built hundreds of bikes since. The testimonials are real as we do not need to make things up.
As far as Lenni's (ehren_fried_chicken) bike is concerned, my friend has personally PM'd him to get him to come down and get myself to look at the bike but he hasn't. Also Lenni complained about the paint job, which is the reason why we started powder-coating all frames. So thanks for the suggestion Lenni.
Edscoble, you are right, you can get hold of a Fuji for 400 but then you ll need to add another 100 to put some brakes on. As an example with cars you can get yourself a brand new Ford Fiesta or for the same money a nice piece of history like a vintage MG. At the end of the day it's a matter of personal preference but I think you can appreciate that for a bespoke custom build people are prepared to pay a bit more than a factory made OTP. And for your information I am actually going to have our own design of OTP bike (the Foffa Prima) for those that are after something new anyway.
the Cytech certificate, as many of you know, is required by the BS regulations and needed for insurance purposes, etc.. Surely having this qualification is a positive thing and should give the buyer peace of mind so I don't know why people are joking about it.
as far as our prices are concerned I really wish I could get old racers for 20 pounds. If you can get me these frame for around 20 - 30 pounds then I ll be buying plenty from you. And if you know someone that can strip down, sand-blast and powder-coat a frame for 40 pounds then let's do business!
And new stuff at 50% off retail price, again I really wish it was so! And again I am not sure if people are taking into account when looking at my prices the 12 months warranty, taxes and overheads.
And of course giving you a 12 months warranty on vintage frames means I won't be able to supply the exact same frame if one fails, but I have always endeavored to go out of my way to satisfy the customer and there have been a couple of times when I have given a full refund even after months of use. I have not yet come across anyone offering that on second hand bikes.
And for those who wonder under the General Product Safety Directive, second hand bikes are excluded from BS standards (BS6102:1), however they should still comply in every way possible, bearing in mind the age and condition.
Also wanted to thank you Hamatt and some others that try and understand where we come from.
I understand some people will always have something to say about Foffa Bikes since I am aware some of you are also trying to make a living off it, either way I hope to see some of you at my workshop. And if you have anything else to say that might improve my service I am open to constructive criticisms.
Dani